New Commissioners unveiled by President Barroso
Published on: December 2, 2009
José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, has announced, on 27 November 2009, the portfolios responsibilities for the next Commission. They will take office in January, after the audition of each member by the European Parliament, from 11 to 19 January 2010.
Changes in the Portfolio
The new College will have 7 Vice-Presidents, including Vice-President Baroness Catherine Ashton who will be the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on 1 December.
New portfolios have been created: Climate Action; Home Affairs; Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, in addition of the new reconfiguration of other ones: Industry and Entrepreneurship, Research and Innovation Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth; Health and Consumer Policy; International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response. In particular, the state aid competencies currently in DG TREN will move to DG Competition (COMP), whereas Climate Directorate ENV C moves to the new DG for Climate Action (except the Clean Air Unit C.3).
Who are the new Commisioners
For DG Transport, former Estonian Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud Siim Kallas (ELDR) succeeded to Antonio Tajani (Italy, EPP), who will be in charge of Industry and Entrepreneurship.
Günther H. Oettinger (Germany, EPP), replaces Andris Piebalgs (who moves to Development) at Energy directorate while Janez Potočnik moves from Science and Research to Environment, in place of Stavros Dimas. Oettinger is former First Minister for Baden-Württemberg. He has an academic background in law and economics and has held a series of political roles since the early eighties. In 1991, he became president of the CDU group in the State Parliament. In response to his appointment, Oettinger rejected claims that he would campaign for nuclear power, but would rather advocate an “energy mix that would enable the EU to be as self-sufficient as possible”.
For his part, Potočnik will focus on issues such as environmental protection, preserving biodiversity and furthering environmentally-friendly industry which he believes will also be an important contribution in the fight against climate change. In response to fears that his portfolio could be overshadowed by that of the Climate Change Commissioner, Potočnik stressed that it will enable all environment-related issues to receive the attention they deserve.
Johannes Hahn (Austria, EPP) takes the succession of Pawel Samecki who made an interim at Regional Development, after the election of Danuta Hübner at the European Parliament. The former Austrian Minister for Science and Research highlighted the importance of pursuing a cohesive policy with a particular emphasis on regional research activities aimed at enhancing Europe’s regions.
The head of the new Directorate General for Climate Change, is attributed to Danish Minister of Energy and Climate, Connie Hedegaard, who will, first, lead the negotiations at the COP15.
The commissioners chosen by José Manuel Barroso are the following:
Joaquín ALMUNIA (Spain): Competition. Vice-President of the Commission
László ANDOR (Hungary): Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
Baroness Catherine ASHTON (UK): High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security and Vice-President of the Commission
Michel BARNIER (France): Internal Market and Services
Dacian CIOLOŞ (Romania): Agriculture and Rural Development
John DALLI (Malta): Health and Consumer Policy
Maria DAMANAKI (Greece): Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
Karel De GUCHT (Belgium): Trade
Štefan FÜLE (Czech Rep.): Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy
Máire GEOGHEGAN QUINN (Ireland): Research and Innovation
Johannes HAHN (Austria): Regional Policy
Connie HEDEGAARD (Denmark): Climate Action
Rumiana JELEVA (Bulgaria): International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response
Siim KALLAS (Estonia): Transport. Vice-President of the Commission
Neelie KROES (Netherlands): Digital Agenda. Vice-President of the Commission
Janusz LEWANDOWSKI (Poland): Budget and Financial Programming
Cecilia MALMSTRÖM (Sweden): Home Affairs
Günther H. OETTINGER (Germany): Energy
Andris PIEBALGS (Latvia): Development
Janez POTOČNIK (Slovenia): Environment
Viviane REDING (Luxembourg): Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. Vice-President of the Commission
Olli REHN (Finland): Economic and Monetary Affairs
Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ (Slovakia): Vice-President of the Commission for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration
Algirdas ŠEMETA (Lithuania): Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud
Antonio TAJANI (Italy): Industry and Entrepreneurship. Vice-President of the Commission
Androulla VASSILIOU (Cyprus): Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth
